Using fresh, customizable “probiotic” treatments to increase crop productivity from the ground up has quickly become a primary strategy for growers across the country—and the trend is now expanding into organic agriculture. The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) recently approved an organic formulation of Rhizolizer, a line of non-GMO microbial soil amendments that has proven to be highly successful in increasing yields and reducing time to harvest. The unique treatments, which were developed by Locus Agricultural Solutions, LLC, have drastically improved the vitality of more than 40,000 acres of crops, leading to demand for organic offerings.
A 2016 USDA survey reported that there are more than 14,100 organic farms in the U.S., which sold upwards of $7.6 billion in certified organic commodities. Market Watch anticipates the organic food and beverage market to continue growing at a 14.8 percent CAGR through 2022, creating a need for solutions that improve crop productivity to meet market demand. Rhizolizer’s unique production and delivery methods, coupled with rapid success in conventional agriculture, have made the product line a top choice for organic adoption.
Rhizolizer’s high-density, low-use-rate formulations can be customized to address regional and crop-specific challenges. The treatments, which are up to 1,000 times the density of other offerings, are sent directly to growers via unique, refrigerated delivery for ultimate freshness. These advantages are driving exceptional improvements in crop productivity and profits for growers.
“Probiotic-based agriculture products have proven to be extremely powerful tools for addressing soil health and crop vitality challenges—especially when delivered through our unique cold chain as high-potency, fresh products—and we believe that every grower should have access to their benefits,” says Paul Zorner, CEO of Locus AG. “OMRI’s certification of Rhizolizer will allow us to move forward in making sure organic farms nationwide can benefit from the use of highly effective, customized treatments—and partake in a trend that’s caught the attention of several sectors of the industry.”
Growers using the tailored probiotic treatment program are seeing double-digit yield increases along with significant improvements in fibrous root mass (up to 82 percent), reductions in time to harvest and overall enhanced crop vitality. The productivity benefits have caused rapid expansion in Rhizolizer adoption. Current trials, along with OMRI certification, provide the foundation for expanding these benefits to organic agriculture.
Commercialization of the new Rhizolizer formulations, which OMRI has approved to be used in compliance with the USDA National Organic Program, is currently under way. Additional organic certifications specific to California are also in progress.
For more information on Locus AG’s unique fermentation technology and cold-chain delivery, or for results and availability of the Rhizolizer soil amendments, visit LocusAG.com.